Key figures:
187,423 Libyans currently internally displaced (IDPs)
403,978 returned IDPs (returns registered in 2016 - April 2018)
56,204 registered refugees and asylumseekers in the State of Libya
23,370 overall persons arrived in Italy3
1,382 monitoring visits to detention centres in 2018 and 2019
2,709 asylum-seekers and refugees released from detention in 2018
2,863 vulnerable refugees and asylumseekers evacuated since November 2017
Funding
USD 88.1 M required for 2019
Highlights
On 15 January, UNHCR, with the support of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), evacuated 25 refugees and asylum-seekers to UNHCR’s Emergency Transit Centre (ETC) in Romania. The group was composed of Syrian, Sudanese and Eritrean refugees who will remain in the ETC before their final resettlement to a third country. Since September 2017, UNHCR has identified and submitted 1,064 individuals for resettlement to seven resettlement countries: Canada, France, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland.
Since November 2017, UNHCR has evacuated 2,863 vulnerable refugees including 2,202 to the Emergency Transit Mechanism in Niger, 415 to Italy and 246 to the ETC in Romania.
UNHCR Response
Following days of clashes in the south of Tripoli, during which UNHCR had no access to detention centres located in the vicinity of the fighting, UNHCR is closely following-up on the situation of persons of concern who are detained in these facilities. As soon as security conditions permit, UNHCR will visit persons of concern in these detention centres with a view to provide necessary humanitarian assistance and continue with its registration activities. In these centres, UNHCR is stepping-up the identification and registration of persons of concern with the aim of finding solutions outside of Libya.
UNHCR is registering refugees and asylum-seekers in detention centres outside Tripoli. On 14 January, UNHCR visited the Souq Al Khamis detention centre in the central region of the country. During the visit, UNHCR registered over 230 persons of concern who were rescued by the Libyan Coast Guard and documented as having disembarked in Libya on 29 December 2018. However, during the visit, UNHCR was made aware that a number of people are currently unaccounted for and is following-up on the situation and remains concerned for their safety and well-being.
UNHCR is assisting internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Tripoli. This week, UNHCR visited Al Fallah 2 IDP settlement in Tripoli where over 850 individuals from Tawergha are currently living. UNHCR plans to distribute shelter kits and non-food items to help the community during the winter. Last week, UNHCR distributed winter items such as heaters, blankets, winter jackets, raincoats and plastic sheets to another 1,350 IDPs in Tripoli.
UNHCR supports refugees and asylum-seekers through its two Community Day Centres in Tripoli. UNHCR and its partners the International Medical Corps, CESVI and International Rescue Committee are assisting refugees and asylum-seekers with primary health care, psychosocial support and referrals in Tripoli. Last week, over 163 refugees and asylum-seekers received primary health care. In addition, UNHCR and partners are supporting refugees with cash based interventions and distributing non-food items.
(Source: UNHCR)
